BOB FOSSE: STEAM HEAT - 2 RARE DOCUMENTARIES - Gwen Verdon - Gene Kelly

BOB FOSSE ( 1927 - 1987) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This 116 minute DVD-R presents TWO excellent programs about the life and career of the legendary actor, dancer choreographer, director and winner of an Emmy, Tony (2) and an Oscar awards. ************************************************ 1) Biography: 50 minute bio presented in 1999 2) ‘STEAM HEAT’- the rare 60 minute ‘Dance In America’ special presentation from 1989 offers much information along with many interviews and musical clips from the many facets of his stellar, theatre, stage and film career. EXTRA BONUS : From the January 1984 ‘Royal Variety Command Performance’ at London’s West End Drury Lane Theatre, GENE KELLY introduces the original Broadway Cast of ‘Dancin’ who perform a 5 minute intro. Dance being the musical theme of the evening, a 10 minute tribute to Broadway also includes ‘Steam Heat’ with Fosse’s genial choreography.

(Due to age and rarity of many segements that are part of the programs the overall picture quality rates 8/10. Sound is very good)

MORE ABOUT BOB FOSSE: As a choreographer, Bob Fosse changed the course of Broadway musicalswith his distinctively slinky, sexy style of dancing. Then he developed into a multimediatriple threat: in 1973 he won an Academy Award for directing the movie Cabaret (which alsowon a best actress Oscar for Liza Minnelli), three Emmy awards for directing, producingand choreographing Minnelli's TV special Liza With a Z, and two Tony Awards fordirecting and choreographing the Broadway show Pippin. That feat is, so far, unmatched. Fosse's other hit Broadway shows included Sweet Charity (1965), Chicago (1975 )and Dancin' (1978). Fosse was married three times, most famously to his dance partnerGwen Verdon, and was also famous for his extramarital womanizing and freewheeling lifestyle. He told his own story in the semi-autobiographical movie All That Jazz (1979). A 1998 revue, Fosse, collected his most famous dance works into one show.Fosse died of a heart attack in Washington D.C. during the run of a revival of his 1965 show Sweet Charity.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FYI : from Oct. 19, 2000. HOLLYWOOD - Gwen Verdon, a four-time Tony Award winner from Broadway's Golden Age, has died at age 75 from natural causes at her daughter's Vermont home. The petite, redheaded performer captivated audiences in musicals such as "Damn Yankees," "Chicago" and "Sweet Charity."

Verdon was married to director-choreographer Bob Fosse, whom she married in 1960, and the couple worked together on "Anna Christie" and "Redhead" along with "Chicago" and "Damn Yankees." Her last Broadway appearance was in "Chicago" in 1975 with Chita Rivera and Jerry Orbach. Broadway theaters dimmed their lights at 8 p.m. Wednesday in honor of the legend.